I've been a lucky beta tester for many months. If I total the amount I put into my carPC, it easily reaches the $2k mark for hardware alone (P4 system with 512MB RAM, Win XP Pro, OPUS, XM radio, SB Extigy, Alk CoPilot GPS, external DVD, USB hubs, Xenarc touchscreen w/ customized housing to look stock, etc.) If I were starting from scratch I would go for it and skip the headaches. You do know that unlike AVIC etc, you can customize this thing with skins? At least the beta has a skin editor with it. And the primary developer has been very responsive to making updates and has even more cool stuff planned (that I don't know if I am allowed to disclose or not).

I agree that if you already got your system together, then a software version would be really nice. I can understand why support would be a nightmare though with all the custom/varied/flaky carPC setups out there. I have expressed my opinion to "the management" that a software version should be an option. I think a trial/demo version that would allow you to test it on your hardware for 15 days or what not would be a nice option.

The user interface is just out of this world - just A M A Z I N G. But hefty CPU/graphics processing power seems to be called for. I don't know that the "Intel Extreme Graphics" can make the cut. You'd have to ask the StreetDeck folks to find out how well your hardware fits the bill...

And yes the navigation is based on the MapPoint SDK. The maps are WAY better than my CoPilot Laptop v8 and the voice prompts with speech-to-text (I used AT&T Natural Voices that I already was using with my home automation system but any SAPI compliant voice can be used) is just soooo cool.

I'm sorry, i have to say this, for the cost of a upper mid/high end laptop, you can get a computer for your car? Wait wait, let's try that again... For twice the cost fo making a carputer yourself, with the easy of a full OS to fall back on if things go awry, you can get a carputer for your car? I will agree the everyday joe may find this appealing if they are totally mechanically and electrically inept, but at a two grand? Its just too much. Its like that Pocket PC laptop with the dual core processor. Shave off $499 for it, and it would be a great buy. But so far, intererst is lack luster due to the price. This system, however, WOULD be better if they made an upgradable CORE system with a fully featured OS that they can unlock features in order to reduce costs and amke it back u later. However, costing it out, you can get a much better set up for a lower price and install it yourself AND have good individual warrenties for the parts. I'm sure the interface is slick, which was the iPod's saving grace, but like the iPod, there are much better alternatives at a cheaper price. Sad to say, though, it might acutally make it...

I will agree the everyday joe may find this appealing if they are totally mechanically and electrically inept, but at a two grand? Its just too much.

The current StreetDeck system is not aimed at the mp3car community. We know its priced too high for that and we know you don't want us to build it for you. Please bear with us, we will be releasing for the community as soon as we have the infrastructure in place and a package with a price point that won't make us flamebait.

Originally Posted by Genesisfactor

But so far, intererst is lack luster due to the price.

It has? Interest has been phenomenal. Not from the mp3car community, but we made lots of friends at CES .

Originally Posted by Genesisfactor

I'm sure the interface is slick, which was the iPod's saving grace, but like the iPod, there are much better alternatives at a cheaper price. Sad to say, though, it might acutally make it...

Yes, the interface is slick, but thats only half of it, we do everything integrated in single interface. No editing ini files, no configuring stuff from the windows desktop, no having to install 20 programs to get all the functionality you need. StreetDeck works out of the box with remote controls, keyboards, girder plugins, gesturing, and voice all setup with defaults and all fully configurable from within the StreetDeck interface.

Yes there are many alternatives that have similar capabilities. A carputer is just a regular computer, any one you put in your car will let you install any program on it and can potentially get you the functionality you need, but what good is it if you can't use it while driving or figure out how to configure it?

In any case, how did you get a copy of StreetDeck already? If you haven't actually used it, please don't pass judgement on the interface until you actually get a chance to play with it. Hopefully that will be soon.